


One Day More

by Shujinkakusama



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Drabble, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mostly Gen, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 18:30:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7981765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shujinkakusama/pseuds/Shujinkakusama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garnet comforts Pearl after a mission gone badly. // For a Tumblr prompt, short Pearlnet fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Day More

The mission had gone badly.

 

To say so might have been the understatement of the century if not for how disastrous the incident with the hand ship from Homeworld had been. Barring near death experiences, though, and missions where Homeworld Gems weren’t out for their shards…

 

The mission had been catastrophically bad.

 

Pearl fled to the beach as they warped into the beach house, and Steven would have followed if Amethyst hadn’t been carrying him. He was wounded—not terribly, and it wasn’t anything that his healing spit couldn’t fix—but it was enough to slow him down.

 

“Clean it up before you heal yourself, Steven.” Garnet’s voice brooked no argument as she produced the first aid kit from the bathroom. “Don’t want to risk an infection.”

 

“I got this,” Amethyst said, helping Steven to the couch. “Go take care of P.”

 

Garnet didn’t need to be told twice. She disappeared outside without a word, following Pearl’s footprints easily.

 

Pearl hadn’t gone far, but Garnet was surprised to see her sitting on a rocky outcropping with her knees drawn up against her chest and her face covered. She was shaking, and Garnet was unsurprised to hear her sniffling into the crook of her arms. The Fusion said nothing for several long moments, then gathered her up in her arms, cradled her gently, and waited. It wasn’t long at all before Pearl’s arms wound around Garnet’s instead, and she hiccupped, sobbing raggedly into her best friend’s embrace.

 

She let her without argument, scooped Pearl up with the ease of long years of practice. Pearl sagged into her, made no protest as Garnet carried her further away from the rising tide.

 

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Garnet repeated like a song, sweet whispers in Pearl’s ear as she cried herself out, “Steven’s fine. I’m fine. Everyone’s home safe. You did great.”

 

Pearl nodded miserably; she knew they’d made it home safe. But she couldn’t forgive herself. Garnet’s near misses were what had rattled her; Steven’s injuries had sent her spiraling. She had nearly attacked Amethyst on instinct, lost their precarious formation against the swarm of sand beasts, and it was the Strawberry Fields all over again, tinkling sounds of shattering Gems fresh on the air…

 

She choked on a sob, scrubbed at her eyes, and had to relearn how to breathe. Garnet soothed her down from hysterics without difficulty, and long after Pearl had stopped crying, the Fusion continued to whisper sweet nothings into her ear.

 

“You did well.”

 

“I fell apart,” Pearl mumbled finally, voice rough from crying. “I swore I wouldn’t and—“

 

“And you made it through,” Garnet cut in, cupping Pearl’s face in her hands and wiping away the last of her drying tears. “And no one blames you. Steven will be ready for bed when we get back. Amethyst will have eaten the leftovers. We’ll see more days.”

 

“I can’t do this forever,” Pearl’s words rang blasphemous in her own ears, and Garnet kissed her hair and cheeks with astounding tenderness.

 

“You won’t have to.”


End file.
